


Honey, You Need to Eat

by DianaandAlicia



Series: Post Good Out Here [6]
Category: Fear the Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Al wants to help her, Alicia isn't eating, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Sister-Sister Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-31
Updated: 2018-05-31
Packaged: 2019-05-16 13:23:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14812190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DianaandAlicia/pseuds/DianaandAlicia
Summary: Alicia isn't eating. Althea offers an incentive.





	Honey, You Need to Eat

**Author's Note:**

> I decided to take a mini hiatus with this series but I'm back! However, I will be taking another hiatus for the series and will post more in about two weeks.

Alicia was having a bad day. It's been a little over three weeks since she first stepped out of her bedroom and joined the rest of the household. While everyone else was very proud of her recovery, they knew that relapses were possible. 

Alicia was going through a relapse and she hasn't left her bed all day, except to use the toilet. It was just her and Althea in the house, because Victor, Morgan, John and Luciana were going to a trading post they found, a few days away. They were going to be gone for a little over a week, because it took three days to get there, plus the day that they'd be in the trading post, and then they'd need time to get back. They also might stop at smaller places on the way to and from the post.

Alicia and Althea stayed home for multiple reasons. Alicia wasn't mentally well enough to travel such a far distance, she needed someone to stay with her and both she and Althea had to stay and guard the property, so that there wouldn't be any one stealing the house from them.

The four left before dawn and it was now late evening. Al was in the kitchen washing the supper dishes. She and Alicia had fish, though Alicia only ate four bites. That's how it's been the past three and a half months. Alicia will eat at each meal, but it will only be a few bites, she'll never eat the whole meal.

Al knew that it was affecting her. The girl was losing muscle mass, she was constantly cold and when she was walking around she was shaky on her feet. Alicia suffered from headaches frequently, and if she got up from sitting or lying down too fast, she'll get a head rush and the whole room will spin. It was something that she was planning on talking to Alicia about, especially since it was going to be just them for the week.

When Al finished in the kitchen, she went upstairs to Alicia's room. Since Luciana was gone, Al had to help Alicia with her nighttime routine. 

"Baby Girl it's time to take a shower." Al said lovingly, sounding like a parent. She tried her hardest to be more maternal to Alicia because about a week prior it was revealed that Alicia looked up to Al like she was a mom. Plus, after learning about how neglectful Alicia's real mother was, Althea figured it didn't hurt anyone if she gave Alicia the love and validation she deserved. Her goal wasn't to treat Alicia like a baby though. It was to show her the compassion and love that her mother refused to provide, especially as she got older.

"I don't wanna take a shower tonight." Alicia whined, flashing her big green eyes at Althea. She pulled her lower lip out into a pout to try and seal the deal. Althea however, wasn't buying it.

"Alicia, you need to take a shower. You didn't take one yesterday, you promised Luciana that you'd take one today. Do you really want me to tell Lucy that you broke your promise to her?"

Alicia shook her head and slowly got up. Though she didn't want to take a shower, the thought of disappointing Luciana, or any of the grownups really, hurt her more. Technically, Alicia is a grownup too, she's almost 21, but she's the youngest in the house, and she had a mental breakdown after her brother died, rendering her almost completely nonfunctional for over three months. She surely would have died if it wasn't for the others taking care of her.

"Can you help me?" She asked Al, as they slowly walked to the bathroom.

"You know I will Sweetie." Al reassured, following the younger girl.

While Althea got Alicia's pajamas and other bedtime stuff ready, Alicia undressed. She was standing in only her bra and underwear when Al turned. The older woman gasped at what she saw.

Alicia had lost so much weight that her ribs were poking out. She was thin and looked like a "bag of bones" as Althea could remember her father saying when she was a kid.

"We need to have a little chat during rocking time." Al said firmly, knowing that it was essential to have this conversation sooner than later. 

"Did I do something wrong?" Alicia asked, confused by Al's sudden concern. 

"No. Angel you haven't done anything wrong. We just have to have a discussion about something." Al explained.

Alicia nodded and undressed the rest of the way before hopping in the shower. 

Ten minutes later, both women were in Alicia's bedroom, Al sitting in the rocking chair, Alicia at Al's feet on the floor. Al was running a brush through Alicia's hair, getting out the tangles.

"All done! Come on up Sweetheart." Al said gently, patting her lap. Alicia settled on up and the two started to rock, getting a nice, steady rhythm going.

"Alicia starting tomorrow, you are going to eat more at meal times."

"This is what you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Yes. You might not notice it because you're used to how your body looks, but Sweetheart, you're incredibly underweight. Your bones are showing, you get dizzy and you're getting headaches a lot. Eight bites of food throughout the whole day isn't going to help you. You need to be eating full meals Darling."

"But..."

"This isn't up for discussion, Alicia. I know since you haven't been eating as much your stomach has probably shrunk. We'll need to take baby steps with adding more food, but you only eating a few bites here and there is going to stop."

"And what if I refuse?" 

"Then I'll have to resort to restraining you and spoon feeding you until you get an appropriate amount."

"But I'm not a baby!" Alicia exclaimed.

"In all the months that you've known me, have I ever explicitly said that you are a baby?"

"No...."

"Then don't assume that I think and feel that way."

They were both silent for a few minutes before Al continued.

"Besides, you don't want your ribs so prominent."

"What do you mean?"

"Well if your ribs are poking out it's easy access."

"Easy access? For what?"

"The Tickle Monster!" Al teased, lifting Alicia's shirt slightly, fluttering her fingers against her ribs.

Alicia squealed at the sudden contact and peals of laughter arose from the girl. 

She squirmed and bucked in the small space of the rocking chair as she twisted and tried to escape Al's fingers. 

Al eventually stopped, and gave Alicia's stomach a little pat.

"I know getting into the swing of things again won't be easy, but can you at least promise me you'll try?"

Alicia nodded and shifted into a more comfortable position.

"How about this, each meal you eat more of, you'll get ten extra minutes of rocking time a night? You can earn up to an extra half hour." Althea added, wanting to give Alicia an incentive to eat.

"I like that." Alicia murmured, smiling.

"Good. That's what we'll do." Althea confirmed, using her fingernails to scratch Alicia's scalp. The younger girl practically melted at the contact and it wasn't long before she was almost asleep.

Al helped Alicia off her lap and led her to bed, wanting to get her tucked in before she actually fell asleep. Once Alicia was under the covers she was out like a light, allowing Al to leave and have some time to herself before she turned in for the night.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope y'all liked it!


End file.
